Detroit native helped make hockey more accessible, affordable for children around city

Jason McCrimmon, a Detroit hockey and community fixture, received the Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award at the 2023 NHL Awards at Bridgestone Arena on Monday.

The 40-year-old Detroit native is also an ambassador for the Detroit Red Wings Learn, Play, Score, a program launched in 2020 that focuses on lowering systemic barriers by providing equitable access to hockey in various forms to children across the city. It includes street hockey within physical education curriculum for all schools from kindergarten through eighth grade.

O’Ree, who became the NHL’s first Black player when he debuted with the Boston Bruins against the Montreal Canadiens at the Montreal Forum on Jan. 18, 1958, presented the annual award to McCrimmon.

“Just interacting with him and to be in a situation to be able to talk to him and pick his brain and just talk to a living legend,” McCrimmon said of O’Ree. “And now to be mentioned in the same sentence as him, for me, it’s just beyond an honor.”

In 2014, McCrimmon established Detroit Ice Dreams, a nonprofit youth hockey organization that makes ice hockey more accessible and affordable for children from underrepresented communities.

He is also coach and owner of the Motor City Gamblers of the United State Premier Hockey League, where players showcase their talents for college or major junior teams.

McCrimmon said it’s all about giving back and being in a situation where he can help “more kids that look like me have access to the beautiful game of hockey and be able to play, and kind of just create something that’s different on their resume from most kids who come from the inner city of Detroit.”

“Everything I do is hockey,” he said. “I’m lucky to be able to do something that I love. To do things for myself and those around me in the community makes me feel very blessed.”

McCrimmon wasn’t in love with hockey when his mother initially enrolled him in a hockey program at Detroit’s Jack Adams Memorial Arena as a kid.

“My brothers played, I hated it,” he said. “I used to cry the whole time. It was cold. I started out as a goalie. I’m standing in one spot. My feet hurt.”

McCrimmon shifted from goalie to forward and defense. He became a good player, but still quit the sport at 16.

Then he had an epiphany.

“My father passed away when I was 18,” he said. “He was the guy that if I scored two goals would say, ‘Why didn’t you have three? I had a dream when I was 20 years old. He told me to get back into the game.”

McCrimmon went on to play for NCAA Division III Northland College, the University of Massachusetts Boston and Suffolk University from 2004-08; 10 teams in eight minor leagues from 2008-12; and 35 games in Finland from 2010-12.

McCrimmon’s reach extends beyond the rink. He helps families deal with food insecurity and provides backpacks filled with school supplies for children in need.

“Through the game of hockey, we’re able to give back to our community through food drives,” he said.

“We do a lot of stuff with the homeless, we’ve got a lot of partnerships with the schools. … The game of hockey has given me a different arm to reach out into my community and help out in different ways. I’m just beyond blessed to be able to do what we’re doing through the nonprofits to the Dreams program.”

by William Douglas @WDouglasNHL / NHL.com Staff Writer

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Olympia Development of Michigan (ODM) congratulates Leo Valentino Mendez, Vice President of Planning & Design for being appointed to the Board of Directors of Latin Americans for Social and Economic Development (LA SED) Detroit.

“We are thrilled to have Leo join our Board of Directors. His commitment to community and his professional accomplishments complement our board’s skills and strengthen our ability to serve the senior citizens and families of Southwest Detroit and beyond,” said Ago Benavides, Chairman of LA SED.

LA SED was established 60 years ago with a mission to advance the social, education and economic development of Hispanics and all residents of Southwest Detroit. A 501c3 non-profit agency, LA SED assists people of all ages with a variety of bilingual services through the development of programs that address the area’s diverse ethnic groups.

“Connecting with the people in the communities where I live and work has always been a core principle of mine,” Mendez said. “Architecture and design impacts everyone and lending my skills to make those experiences inspirational and positive, while helping communities move forward means everything. It is an honor to join the board of LA SED and share my passion and talent with the Latino community of Southwest Detroit.”

As Vice President of Planning and Design for Olympia Development of Michigan, Mendez is responsible for the oversight and implementation of the high-level design plans for The District Detroit as well as guiding design direction for multiple ongoing projects including a variety of ground-up, preservation, adaptive re-use, residential, commercial, retail and mixed-use projects within the heart of the sports and entertainment district in Detroit.

Leo joined Olympia Development in March of 2019 and has worked across a multitude of projects. When asked what his three favorite projects are to date, he quickly answered with his first two: 2715 Woodward Avenue – a five-story, state of the art building located in between Little Caesars Arena and Wayne State University’s Mike Ilitch School of Business, that is home to Boston Consulting Group and Warner, Norcross + Judd  —  and The Eddystone & Basan  the revitalized historic building with 92 thoughtfully designed apartments featuring a highly anticipated restaurant and lounge. For his third, there are so many he is working on as part of The District Detroit that are yet to be revealed, he only offered a coy smile.

A graduate of the University of Detroit Mercy, with a Bachelor’s in Architecture and Business Administration, Leo is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB).

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The Detroit Red Wings today signed right wing Christian Fischer to a one-year contract with an average annual value of $1.125 million.

Fischer, 26, spent the 2022-23 campaign with the Arizona Coyotes, recording 27 points (13-14-27) and 20 penalty minutes in 80 games. The 6-foot-2, 212-pound forward tallied his most points in a single season since achieving career highs in goals (15), assists (18) and points (33) as a rookie in 2017-18. Originally selected by Arizona in the second round (32nd overall) of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Fischer has accumulated 111 points (56-55-111) and 97 penalty minutes in 398 games with the Coyotes since 2016-17. Additionally, Fischer logged 50 points (22-28-50) and 28 penalty minutes in 63 American Hockey League games with the Springfield Falcons and Tucson Roadrunners from 2015-17, competing at the 2017 AHL All-Star Classic.

Prior to turning professional, Fischer played the 2015-16 season with the Ontario Hockey League’s Windsor Spitfires, registering 90 points (40-50-90), a plus-35 rating and 34 penalty minutes in 66 games, in addition to three points (1-2-3) in five postseason appearances. The Chicago native skated with the U.S. National Team Development Program from 2013-15, scoring 106 points (50-56-106) and 45 penalty minutes in 120 games. On the international stage, Fischer won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2015 IIHF World Under-18 Championship, collecting eight points and a plus-two rating in seven games. He also earned a gold medal at the 2014 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, notching six points (2-4-6) in six appearances.

Christian Fischer, Right Wing

Born Apr 15 1997 — Chicago, IL

Height 6.02 — Weight 212 — Shoots R

Selected by Arizona Coyotes round 2 #32 overall 2015 NHL Entry Draft

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• Kostin signs two-year deal; Luff and Lindstrom return on one-year contracts

The Detroit Red Wings today signed center Klim Kostin to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $2 million. Additionally, the Red Wings re-signed right wing Matt Luff to a one-year, two-way contract and re-signed defenseman Gustav Lindstrom to a one-year contract with an average annual value of $950,000.

Kostin, 24, spent the majority of the 2022-23 season with the Edmonton Oilers, recording 21 points (11-10-21), a plus-12 rating and 66 penalty minutes in 57 regular-season games. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound forward also collected five points (3-2-5) and nine penalty minutes in 12 postseason contests. Additionally, Kostin logged four points (2-2-4) and 15 penalty minutes in nine games with the American Hockey League’s Bakersfield Condors during the 2022-23 campaign. Kostin helped Avangard Omsk of the Kontinental Hockey League win a Gagarin Cup championship in 2020-21, accumulating 18 points (7-11-18), a plus-six rating and 50 penalty minutes in 43 games before adding nine points (5-4-9) and 44 penalty minutes in 24 playoff matchups. Originally selected by the St. Louis Blues in the first round (31st overall) of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Kostin has registered 32 points (16-16-32) and 89 penalty minutes in 103 NHL games with the Blues and Oilers since 2019-20. He has also compiled 92 points (34-58-92) and 263 penalty minutes in 207 AHL games with the San Antonio Rampage and Condors.

A native of Penza, Russia, Kostin made his professional debut with Dynamo Moscow in the KHL during the 2016-17 season, finishing with a plus-one rating and 27 penalty minutes in eight games. Kostin also netted one goal and four penalty minutes in nine appearances with Dynamo Balashikha of the Supreme Hockey League (VHL) in 2016-17. On the international stage, Kostin captained Russia to a bronze medal at the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship, notching six points (3-3-6) and 10 penalty minutes in seven games. He also competed at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship, showing eight points (5-3-8) and a plus-seven rating in five appearances. Kostin recorded seven points (4-3-7) and 29 penalty minutes in five games at the 2016 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, along with four assists and four penalty minutes in five games captaining Russia at the 2016 IIHF World Under-18 Championship.

Luff, 26, split the 2022-23 season between the Red Wings and the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins. The 6-foot-3, 212-pound forward recorded four points (2-2-4) in 19 games with the Red Wings, in addition to 25 points (8-17-25) and six penalty minutes in 28 games with the Griffins. In 2021-22, Luff notched six points (3-3-6), a plus-three rating and four penalty minutes in 23 games with the Nashville Predators while averaging over a point-per-game in the AHL, tallying 31 points (14-17-31), a plus-one rating and 16 penalty minutes in 30 appearances for the Milwaukee Admirals. Luff has played parts of five NHL seasons with the Los Angeles Kings, Predators and Red Wings, logging 27 points (15-12-27) and 20 penalty minutes in 106 games since 2018-19. He has also compiled 145 points (57-88-145), a plus-10 rating and 116 penalty minutes in 197 AHL games over parts of seven seasons with the Ontario Reign, Admirals and Griffins.

A native of Oakville, Ont., Luff was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Kings on Sept. 22, 2016 and made his professional debut with the Reign at the end of the 2016-17 season. Prior to turning professional, Luff played three seasons in the Ontario Hockey League with the Belleville Bulls and Hamilton Bulldogs from 2014-17, accumulating 137 points (61-76-137), a plus-two rating and 96 penalty minutes in 170 games. He also registered 11 points (5-6-11) in 11 postseason contests during his major junior career.

Lindstrom, 24, spent the 2022-23 campaign with the Red Wings, tallying eight points (1-7-8) and 20 penalty minutes in 36 games. The 6-foot-2, 186-pound defenseman also played the entire 2021-22 season in Detroit, setting career highs in games played (63), assists (12), points (13), penalty minutes (22), shots (41), blocks (77) and hits (59). In all, Lindstrom has recorded 25 points (2-23-25) and 56 penalty minutes in 128 games with the Red Wings since making his NHL debut in 2019-20. He also dished out eight assists and 34 penalty minutes in 58 AHL games with the Griffins from 2019-21. Prior to the start of the 2020-21 NHL season, Lindstrom notched 11 assists and 20 penalty minutes in 20 appearances with Almtuna IS in Sweden’s second-highest professional league.

Originally selected by the Red Wings in the second round (38th overall) of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, Lindstrom played three full seasons professionally in Sweden before moving to North America. In 2018-19, Lindstrom helped Frölunda HC earn a Swedish Hockey League championship, posting six points (3-3-6) and 50 penalty minutes in 40 regular-season games, in addition to six points (2-4-6) in 11 games as Frölunda won the Champions Hockey League tournament. The Ostervala, Sweden, native also appeared in 107 games with Almtuna IS over two stints, tallying 34 points (8-26-34) and 80 penalty minutes from 2016-18 and 2020-21. On the international stage, Lindstrom captured a silver medal for Sweden at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship, finishing with one assist and eight penalty minutes in seven games. Prior to turning professional, Lindstrom totaled 14 points (6-8-14), a plus-10 rating and 12 penalty minutes in nine games with Almtuna IS in Sweden’s top junior league and 51 points (20-31-51), a plus-18 rating and 68 penalty minutes in 59 games at the under-18 level.

Klim Kostin, Center

Born May 5 1999 — Penza, Russia

Height 6.03 — Weight 215 — Shoots L

Selected by St. Louis Blues round 1 #31 overall 2017 NHL Entry Draft

Matt Luff, Right Wing

Born May 5 1997 — Oakville, ONT

Height 6.03 — Weight 212 — Shoots R

Gustav Lindstrom, Defense

Born Oct 20 1998 — Ostervala, Sweden

Height 6.02 — Weight 183 — Shoots R

Selected by Detroit Red Wings round 2 #38 overall 2017 NHL Entry Draft

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• Blueliner has spent last six seasons with Toronto Maple Leafs, logging 82 points in 285 games

The Detroit Red Wings today signed defenseman Justin Holl to a three-year contract with an average annual value of $3.4 million.

Holl, 31, skated in 80 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2022-23 season, recording 18 points (2-16-18), a plus-15 rating, 39 penalty minutes, 151 hits and 139 blocked shots. The blueliner has spent the last six seasons with Toronto, totaling 82 points (11-71-82), a plus-58 rating and 150 penalty minutes in 285 games with the Maple Leafs. Holl has also appeared in 25 postseason games for Toronto, tallying three assists and 23 penalty minutes. Originally selected by the Chicago Blackhawks in the second round (54th overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Holl has suited up in 194 games across four seasons (2014-18) at the American Hockey League level, totaling 68 points (20-48-68), a plus-59 rating and 79 penalty minutes for the Toronto Marlies and Rockford IceHogs. During the 2017-18 campaign, Holl was named an AHL All-Star and helped the Marlies to the franchise’s first Calder Cup championship, recording five points (3-2-5) and 16 penalty minutes in 20 postseason games.

The 6-foot-3, 197-pound blueliner skated in his first professional season during the 2014-15 campaign with the Indy Fuel of the ECHL, posting 34 points (7-27-34) and 39 penalty minutes in 66 games. A native of Tonka Bay, Minn., Holl played four seasons (2010-14) at the University of Minnesota prior to turning professional, logging 38 points (8-30-38) and 76 penalty minutes in 142 games and helping the Golden Gophers to Frozen Four appearances in 2012 and 2014. Holl also suited up for the Omaha Lancers of the USHL during the 2009-10 season, tallying four assists in 11 games.

Justin Holl, Defenseman

Born Jan 30, 1992 — Tonka Bay, MN

Height 6.03 — Weight 197 — Shoots R

Selected by Chicago Blackhawks round 2 #54 overall 2010 NHL Entry Draft

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• 13-Year NHL veteran has posted 204-169-61 record in 476 games with Maple Leafs, Sharks, Panthers and Hurricanes

The Detroit Red Wings today signed goaltender James Reimer to a one-year contract with an average annual value of $1.5 million.

Reimer, 35, spent the 2022-23 season with the San Jose Sharks, posting a 12-21-8 record with a 3.48 goals-against average, an 0.890 save percentage and three shutouts in 43 appearances. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound netminder also played the 2021-22 season with the Sharks, logging a 19-17-10 record with a 2.90 goals-against average, a 0.911 save percentage and one shutout in 48 games. Originally selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the fourth round (99th overall) of the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, Reimer has compiled a 204-169-61 record with a 2.87 goals-against average, a 0.911 save percentage and 28 shutouts in 476 games with the Maple Leafs, Sharks, Florida Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes since 2010-11. He also logged a 24-15-3 record with a 2.44 goals-against average, a 0.920 save percentage and four shutouts in 44 games with the American Hockey League’s Toronto Marlies from 2008-11. Additionally, Reimer won a Kelly Cup championship with the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays in 2009, earning the June M. Kelly Award as playoff MVP after posting a 2.17 goals-against average and a 0.929 save percentage in eight postseason contests.

Prior to turning professional, Reimer played three seasons with the Western Hockey League’s Red Deer Rebels from 2005-08, showing a 41-56-14 record with a 2.72 goals-against average, a 0.912 save percentage and four shutouts in 124 appearances. A native of Morweena, Manitoba, Reimer competed for Team Canada at the 2014 IIHF World Championship, posting a 3-1-0 record with a 2.20 goals-against average, a 0.911 save percentage in four games. Reimer also represented his country at the 2012 IIHF World Championship, owning a 3-0-0 record with a 2.04 goals-against average and a 0.920 save percentage in four appearances.

James Reimer, Goalie

Born Mar 15 1988 — Morweena, MAN

Height 6.03 — Weight 205 — Shoots L

Selected by Toronto Maple Leafs round 4 #99 overall 2006 NHL Entry Draft

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• Sprong recorded career-high 46 points in 66 games with Kraken in 2022-23

The Detroit Red Wings today signed right wing Daniel Sprong to a one-year contract with an average annual value of $2 million.

Sprong, 26, spent the 2022-23 campaign with the Seattle Kraken and ranked among the team leaders with 21 goals (T3th), 25 assists (T8th), 46 points (6th), a plus-13 rating (T10th), six power play goals (T2nd), 14 power play points (T4th), three game-winning goals (T4th) and 147 shots (7th) in 66 games. The 6-foot, 202-pound forward also helped the Kraken reach the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time in franchise history, recording two points (1-1-2) in 10 postseason contests. Sprong split the 2021-22 season between the Washington Capitals and Kraken, notching 14 points (8-6-14), a plus-six rating and eight penalty minutes in 47 games with the Capitals before netting six goals in 16 appearances with the Kraken. Originally selected by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round (46th overall) of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Sprong has accumulated 116 points (67-49-116) and 44 penalty minutes in 268 games with the Penguins, Anaheim Ducks, Capitals and Kraken since debuting as an 18-year-old in 2015-16. He also compiled 98 points (44-54-98) and 54 penalty minutes in 109 American Hockey League games with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, San Diego Gulls and Hershey Bears. Sprong competed in the 2018 AHL All-Star Classic and was named to the AHL All-Rookie Team after leading all freshmen with 32 goals during the 2017-18 season.

A native of Amsterdam, Netherlands, Sprong played four seasons with the Charlottetown Islanders of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League from 2013-17. He was named to the QMJHL All-Rookie Team in 2013-14 after registering 68 points (30-38-68) and 20 penalty minutes in 67 regular-season games, along with five points (4-1-5) in four playoff appearances. In total, Sprong racked up 261 points (117-144-261) and 68 penalty minutes in 199 regular-season games with Charlottetown, in addition to 51 points (24-27-51) and 35 penalty minutes in 38 postseason matchups.

Daniel Sprong, Right Wing

Born Mar 17 1997 — Amsterdam, Netherlands

Height 6.00 — Weight 202 — Shoots R

Selected by Pittsburgh Penguins round 2 #46 overall 2015 NHL Entry Draft

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• Blueliner recorded 51 points in 72 games with AHL’s Coachella Valley Firebirds

The Detroit Red Wings today signed defenseman Brogan Rafferty to a two-year, two-way contract.

Rafferty, 28, spent the entire 2022-23 season with the American Hockey League’s Coachella Valley Firebirds and led the team’s defensemen in goals (9), assists (42), points (51), plus/minus (+28), power play goals (2) and shots (154) in 72 games. The 6-foot-1, 203-pound blueliner also helped the Firebirds reach the Calder Cup Finals in their inaugural campaign, tallying 11 points (2-9-11) and four penalty minutes in 26 postseason contests. Originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Vancouver Canucks on April 1, 2019, Rafferty skated in two NHL games with the club during the 2018-19 season and tallied an assist in his only appearance in 2020-21. Rafferty has also notched 120 points (20-100-120), a plus-44 rating and 90 penalty minutes in 194 AHL games with the Utica Comets, San Diego Gulls and Firebirds. He played in the 2020 AHL All-Star Classic and earned a place on the league’s All-Rookie team after leading all newcomers with 38 assists.

Prior to turning professional, Rafferty played three seasons at Quinnipiac University from 2016-19, recording 65 points (10-55-65) and 100 penalty minutes in 116 games. The West Dundee, Ill., native spent the 2015-16 season with the Bloomington Thunder in the United States Hockey League, logging 28 points (2-26-28) and 30 penalty minutes in 60 regular-season games, in addition to nine points (3-6-9) and four penalty minutes in 10 postseason matchups. Rafferty also totaled 56 points (8-48-56) and 105 penalty minutes in 110 North American Hockey League games with the Topeka Roadrunners and Coulee Region Chill from 2012-15.

Brogan Rafferty, Defense

Born May 28, 1995 — West Dundee, IL

Height 6.01 — Weight 203 — Shoots R

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• Netminder helped Florida reach 2023 Stanley Cup Final

The Detroit Red Wings today signed goaltender Alex Lyon to a two-year contract with an average annual value of $900,000.

Lyon, 30, spent part of the 2022-23 season with the Florida Panthers, holding a 9-4-2 record with a 2.89 goals-against average, a 0.912 save percentage and one shutout in 15 regular-season games. The 6-foot-1, 201-pound netminder also posted a 1-2 record with a 3.63 goals-against average and a 0.888 save percentage in four postseason appearances as the Panthers reached the 2023 Stanley Cup Final. Additionally, Lyon compiled a 13-9-1 record with a 2.43 goals-against average, a 0.910 save percentage and one shutout in 23 games with the American Hockey League’s Charlotte Checkers in 2022-23. Originally signed by the Philadelphia Flyers as an undrafted free agent on April 6, 2016, Lyon has notched a 16-11-5 record with a 3.05 goals-against average, a 0.903 save percentage and one shutout in 39 appearances over parts of six NHL seasons with the Flyers, Carolina Hurricanes and Panthers. He has also compiled a 106-70-19 record with a 2.62 goals-against average, a 0.912 save percentage and 10 shutouts in 202 AHL games with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Chicago Wolves and Checkers. During the 2021-22 AHL season, Lyon was named the recipient of the Harry “Hap” Holmes Memorial Award, presented to the goaltender(s) on the team which allows the fewest goals per game in the regular season, before helping the Wolves win a Calder Cup championship.

Prior to turning professional, Lyon spent three seasons at Yale University from 2013-16, setting program records in wins (50), goals-against average (1.88), save percentage (.931) and shutouts (15) in 93 appearances. He was named a First-Team All-American and earned the Ken Dryden Award as the ECAC Goaltender of the Year following his sophomore and junior seasons. Lyon also competed with the Omaha Lancers in the United States Hockey League from 2011-13, tallying a 52-36-4 record with a 2.71 goals-against average, a 0.913 save percentage and five shutouts in 98 games. A native of Baudette, Minn., Lyon was a member of Team USA’s bronze-medal entry at the 2015 IIHF World Championship but did not see game action.

Alex Lyon, Goalie

Born Dec 9 1992 — Baudette, MN

Height 6.01 — Weight 201 — Shoots L

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